


you think this troubles me?

by PenelopeJadewing



Series: Kacchako Bittersweet Week 2018 [4]
Category: Naruto, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Calm down boys, Confrontations, Deku callin out Kacchan, F/M, Fictober 2018, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Good Uchiha Itachi, He's too good, Itachi's Everybody's Big Brother, Kacchako Bittersweet Week, Post-Canon, Uraraka Ochako (mentioned) - Freeform, but really they're both hypocrites, kacchako angst, of course he's good, someone's gotta be the sane one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 06:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16258574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PenelopeJadewing/pseuds/PenelopeJadewing
Summary: Katsuki accidentally brings his angst to the debriefing table. Actually, Deku starts it, Katsuki defends himself, and Itachi ends it with diplomatic professionalism. And somewhere on the other side of Tokyo, Uraraka Ochako sneezes and gets the distinct feeling somebody somewhere is talking about her.





	you think this troubles me?

Nobody needs the distraction of meaningless prattle. Words that mean nothing, do nothing but clutter the air and make it hard to focus on the pertinent issues. So when the briefing room empties of all the superfluous jugheads who can’t contribute, leaving only the operatives known to the public as Ground Zero, Deku, and Crow clustered around the holographic map of the eastern edge of the Minato ward, the very last thing Bakugou Katsuki expects to hear spoken, out loud, in all seriousness, is:

“You should tell Uraraka how you feel.”

And Deku’s not even kidding.

Katsuki can tell because the moment he hears those words, his head snaps up fast enough to make his vertebrae pop loose after hours of staring in the general ground-ward direction, and his childhood tagalong is wearing his Game Face. It’s the one where his big eyes are stunningly steady compared to his usual jitter and his mouth is set in a straight line instead of his trademark smile.

Of course, Katsuki responds to this out-of-the-blue declaration like any intelligent man would:

“What the f***??”

Unfortunately, this does nothing to deter the little nerd, who continues to stare at him from under his tense brow. Or at least, he does until it seems like his unruly fringe, draping from the front of his undercut, makes it incredibly difficult to do so and he tosses it aside with a jerk of his head. That seems to break his intense attempt to reprogram Katsuki’s brain via Eye Contact, and he leans both gloved hands casually on the edge of the projection table. “I’m serious.”

Katsuki gapes at him like a goldfish for three seconds before he glances around, checks for hidden cameras or anybody who might possibly be thinking it’s the perfect time to eavesdrop. When he finds none of the above, he levels his rival with a sturdy glare and replies quietly—just in case that All Clear status decides to change on a dime.

“The h***, Deku, you’re bringing this up  _now_??” Katsuki snarls. “We’re f***in’  _briefing_. We’re about to set up a  _sting_.”

“She’s gonna be there and I know you haven’t told her yet. It’s relevant.”

Katsuki scoffs. He knows about her involvement in this operation, of course. Uraraka told him about her recruitment just yesterday, when she accosted him as he came off the train platform on his way to his patrol. They’d both conveniently had the same idea to visit the same coffee shop en route, to her delight and his chagrin. Not that he didn’t—doesn’t—like her company. He wouldn’t still be dating her if he didn’t. At the time, she hadn’t reached her agency yet, her Hero suit in a duffel and herself clad in workout clothes instead and when he’d commented on her choice of wardrobe in late autumn, she admitted to jogging to the area instead of taking the train. Heck, she’d even invited him along some days, if he felt like it.

Which he did. He really, really did. Still does. They train together already, sure, but this would be even more time he’d get to delegate to her, and there’s a part of him that would do so gladly. But he hasn’t told her that; he can’t. For many reasons. Which he begrudgingly admitted to Deku not two weeks ago, under  _strict_  confidence. Some confidence. And quite honestly, he’s sure he’s been nothing but inconspicuous all this time. Ochako hasn’t even said anything. So where the h*** does Deku get off calling him out like this?

A thousand and one crude, defensive, perfectly appropriate responses flit past the forefront of his mind, except he can’t settle on a single one beyond his raw astonishment at Deku’s unnerving amount of gall. Instead, he gestures his speechlessness with an open palm and turns an ‘are you serious’ glance of confirmation to their third and senior companion. Crow, to his credit, keeps his arms folded, one delicate hand raised to press the crook of his index finger over his lips, and simply closes his black eyes to shake his head once. A refusal of involvement.

Smart man. Regrettably. Can’t he be partial to reason just this once? Why does Crow always have to be so good at this whole diplomat thing?

Deku’s not finished apparently. “You almost cost us the last op.”

“What!? In your dreams. I f***ing  _owned_ that op!” Katsuki spits back in defense. “I took both of those punks down with a single Howitzer.”

“After you almost managed to be taken hostage, which would have doubled our problems.” Deku raises an eyebrow. “You remember why that happened?”

“Don’t patronize me!”

“You banked everything on a joint Climbing Silver maneuver with Red Riot as your forward, risked  _both_  your safety and the whole operation, all because Uravity went down and Kirishima wasn’t about to let you charge in there by yourself like an idiot. You let her circumstances negatively effect your performance and it’s not the first time in the past month.”

Katsuki grinds his teeth, not needing or appreciating the reminder of his embarrassingly risky life decisions. They’re his business, d*** it, Ochako-centric or not. It’s not like Deku can prove a thing either, so really, the two of them are the only people who know that what he’s accusing Katsuki of is 100% true. It’s been hard to keep his head in the game lately, not that he’d make it obvious to anybody else. Though, by the way Crow’s eyes are darting between them while he himself remains silent, Katsuki gets the idea that their intuitive handler doesn’t need proof to sense what’s really going on. He’s always been annoyingly perceptive.

Katsuki will throw himself into traffic before he admits his own guilt, though. To anybody, especially his nerdy co-worker and his operation manager. Contrary to popular opinion, he does have a sense of dignity. It’s for that same reason he hasn’t told Ochako about his doubts yet.

He just… needs time. He can’t just come out and tell her that the rational part of him has been questioning their relationship ever since he came back from America. He can’t let her know how deep he’s in, not now… Maybe not ever. For many reasons. Top of the list being that, as he plunges headlong into his career, he’s not sure if there’s even going to be room for her in his narcissistic heart, dead-set on becoming the #1 Hero. After what she went through with her previous boyfriend back in high school… it wouldn’t be fair.

It’s her or his ambitions, and he’s not sure he’s ready to make that decision.

Until he sorts out his s***, it doesn’t matter how his heart leaps every time she says ‘hey Katsuki!’, using his first name like she already f***ing owns it, and he turns to find her with that boxy, utterly-adorable smile of hers on that goofy round face; doesn’t matter how many secrets they share, how many nights spent swapping dumb stories under the stars, decked out in full Hero gear on top of some building somewhere… yeah, no matter what, he can’t say a word. Because he doesn’t want to lose any of that until he decides he has no choice.

“I don’t have to listen to this,” Katsuki grumbles, averting his eyes to the map in front of them. He tries to focus on the target location, tries to think of possible exit routes and most likely wrenches, but he can’t freaking focus, not with Deku’s eyes boring into him from across the table. “You guys were the ones who brought me in for this. If you don’t want me here, then make up your d*** minds.”

“Your CO already signed the paperwork,” is the first and most terribly unhelpful thing Crow says.

D***, that means he’s locked in here until the operation’s over. Stupid paperwork! Why the h*** would Mirko do that to him? After all the song and dance against joint efforts…

“I’m just thinking about Uraraka. And the operation,” Deku adds, his expression taking on that incredibly earnest air of I Mean Everything I’m About to Say. “It’s going to take time and patience and plenty of risk, especially for her… If you get caught up in this… whatever it is, you’ll be putting her in danger. You’re the one who’s always saying she can more than handle herself. So we all need your guarantee that you won’t let anything cloud your judgment, and I honestly think that coming clean to her would be the best way to avoid that! That’s all.”

“Like h***,” Katsuki scoffs, keeping his ire directed at the hologram. It’s better than being subjected to that infuriatingly  _kind_  face that he just knows Deku’s giving him right now. He knows the nerd is talking about more than just the operation at this point. He’s not a moron… Even after their breakup, Deku and Ochako have been irritatingly close, and Deku’s never ceased to jump to her defense at the drop of a hat. His bleeding heart also renders him too sympathetic to Katsuki’s plight to outright accuse him of anything, so instead, he translates over to this incessant advice crap.

News flash for the nerd: Katsuki doesn’t need his concern. Or his help.

Besides. Doesn’t he understand that giving Katsuki advice on his relationship with  _his ex-girlfriend_  is like, the weirdest s*** ever?

But never let it be said Deku knows when to stop talking. “You just seem so…  _troubled_  lately. You’ve been in this sorta fog for the longest time, even Sasuke noticed the other day. He says he actually managed to hit you without activating his Reaper.”

Katsuki feels a vein pop in his forehead. That b*****d actually  _told_  him that!? The h***, why would he do that? Well, that’s it, their regular sparring sessions are _done_. He’s not about to subject himself to this on a regular basis, if the moron’s just gonna turn around and blab all his weaknesses to f***ing  _Deku._

“You’re both delusional,” Katsuki accuses. His angst is none of their d*** business. The defense is lacking in fire, though, because quite suddenly, a heavy sense of Tired has taken to hanging off his shoulders like Crow’s four-year-old brat. This whole conversation is honestly the last thing he wants to deal with right now and it’s draining him out like yesterday’s coffee.

“Kacchan, you can’t just… leave her hanging! Itachi, can help me out here?” Deku finally concedes his inability to convince Katsuki of anything. Which is really something he should’ve been convinced of within their first year of half-baked friendship back when they were kids. But then, Deku’s always been a bit slow in the Giving Up department. The fact that he’s looking for confirmation from the person who just denied it from Katsuki irks the latter enough to make him privately seethe.

The elder Uchiha in question lowers his hand from his mouth just enough to shake his head unhindered. “Mm, don’t bring me into this. I’m just waiting for you to finish.”

“But even you’ve noticed how weird he’s being lately, right?” Deku’s fishing and Katsuki doesn’t try to hide how insulted he is by this.

Thankfully, Crow remains neutral. “And you think this troubles me?”

 _Thank you!_  Finally, someone on his side. Kind of.

Deku looks a bit surprised that his Moral Endeavor isn’t being properly supported by the only other empathetic being in the room. “B-But, wait a second. It’s gotten to the point of effecting performance rates. I just said that.”

“F***ing lay off, Deku,” Katsuki spits, tired of his friend’s crap. He’s stopped sounding concerned and now he’s just being nosy. “You’re the one not focusing here.”

“This is a _legitimate_  concern to me,” Deku reiterates, gesturing into the space between them with a stiff hand that demonstrates his inflexibility on this issue. “Things can go haywire fast when personal issues get tangled up in professional operations.”

“Yeah, ‘cause you’d know all about that,” Katsuki needles and he knows it’s not fair, but he’s always had an on-point Bulls*** Radar. Deku possesses an uncanny knack for setting it off. Usually when his Naive Idealism comes into outright conflict with Practical Experience, which Katsuki knows both he and Deku have in spades.

“Hey, I’m working on it!” Deku looks a bit hurt. “That’s why I’m even saying anything right now!”

“Okay.” The single word from Crow crashes between them like a grand piano dropped from a crane, and it shuts them both up quick. Their handler snatches up their attention without moving a muscle from his pensive position.

Once he’s certain he has them captive, Crow goes on. “Ground Zero is correct. This is something of a rabbit trail. However, if any of our operatives has concerns for their safety or the safety of others, I want to keep that in consideration. I’ll review the roles and see if we can move things around to best avoid conflicts of interest. I’ll run the final setup by you, Deku, before I send it on for approval from Insight. Does that sound agreeable to you?”

Deku rubs the back of his neck. He doesn’t look the happiest, but he knows a good compromise when he sees one. He nods. “Yes, thank you.”

Katsuki just glares daggers at the traitorous wretch, while Crow continues heedless.

“Good. And I trust this won’t be an issue in the future?” Crow’s bottomless gaze shifts toward Katsuki and it’s both pointed and soft. He knows that look. It means he’d like to Explain to Katsuki a Thing but is otherwise refraining for obvious reasons of professionalism. That look can either be good or very bad. Sometimes both simultaneously. Katsuki hates it.

Stiffening, he clenches his fingers against the edge of the table, the blue light from the hologram highlighting every crease over his knuckles. He shoots his senior a glare tailored just for him. “Of f***ing  _course_! What the h*** kind of question is that?”

Crow holds up a placating hand and turns away, relinquishing the subject. Which is more than can be said regarding Deku, who’s gone back to staring at Katsuki like he can read his thoughts written on the slopes of his forehead, his steady gaze promising more uncomfortable confrontation to come in the near future.

Katsuki’s going to have to watch his back for a while.


End file.
